Neuhaus, right, discusses the EIS proposal while County Attorney
Langdon Chapman listens
GOSHEN – The Rules Committee of the Orange County Legislature voted
on Wednesday to appropriate $200,000 to hire a consulting firm to prepare
an environmental impact statement and complete other analysis pertaining
to the proposed annexation of 500 acres of land into the Village of Kiryas
Joel.
County Executive Steven Neuhaus told the committee that the company selected to do the work will take a look at a number of issues.
“We need to run a parallel thing to make sure that we cover all the issues that are affected – infrastructure, roads, sewer, water, the amount of growth that goes on in that southern corridor,” Neuhaus said. “Is it going to be all for one area? These are important issues that we are going to have to think about.”
The county planning department is also conducting an environmental impact study.
The annexation issue has been rather contentious as local Monroe area residents who oppose it say it will double the size of the Hasidic village.
